• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2012

This study was performed to produce basic data for silty reclaimed tidal lands and to develop techniques of environmentally-friendly utilization in agricultural system. We chose the two sites in Saemangeum reclaimed tidal lands, one (Site I) has been treated with cultivating green manure and conducting the desalinization process through submergence since April, 2007 and the other (Site II) has been under natural condition without artificial treatment. In situ and ex situ physic-chemical properties were determined and comparisons were made for soil profiles examined at these two sites in April 2009. Surface soil of Site I had lower EC and higher field saturated hydraulic conductivity than those of Site II, uncultivated land. Especially, exchangeable sodium content was lowest in Site I Ap1 layer than in other layers. This is probably due to flooding desalination and green manure cultivation. Besides, Ap1 and A2 layers of soil profile in Site I showed brighter soil color and more root observation than those of Site II. This is probably due to green manure cultivation. By the large, for high cash upland crops and intensive agricultural use of silty reclaimed tidal land, site-specific soil ripening such as flooding desalination and green manure cultivation could be useful.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2013

For organic farming, green manure crops such as leguminous forages and barley have been broadly used to improve soil fertility and soil physical and chemical properties by repeatedly cutting and mulching them directly as winter crop in the field in the rotation. In this investigation we selected 78 agricultural farm corporations as well as individual organic farmhouses related to crop rotation from greenmanure crops to main crops in order to analyze the relationship of cropping system between main crops and green manure crops. The results showed that the green manure crops were divided into two groups as leguminous and nonleguminous crops, representing that those are limited to specific climate and farming systems of regions. Also the 10 or less green manure crops including sudangrass, hairyvetch, italian ryegrass, sorghun, buckwheat, oat, pea, rye, clover, and canola which belong to leguminous crops which are presently cultivated from the organic farmhouses within the rotational crop system. We also confirmed that the major main crops are sweet potato, soybean, corn, tobacco, spinach from usage frequency analyzed by NetMiner H 2.6 which was used to estimate the rotational cropping system among the green manure crops and main crops.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.119-133
• /
• 2013

In the present study, several groundwater vulnerability assessment methods were applied to an agricultural area of Gumma in Korea. For the groundwater intrinsic vulnerability assessment, the performance of DRASTIC, SINTACS and GOD models was compared and an ensemble approach was suggested. M-DRASTIC and multi-linear regression (MLR) models were applied for the groundwater specific vulnerability assessment to nitrate of the study site. The correlation coefficient between the nitrate concentration and M-DRASTIC index was as low as 0.24. The result of the MLR model showed that the correlation coefficient is 0.62 and the areal extents of livestock farming and upland field are most influential factors for the nitrate contamination of groundwater in the study site.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.296-303
• /
• 2010

Chromium as a constituent of rocks occurs naturally in the environment in varying concentrations. However, the human activity has changed the geochemical cycle of chromium in the environment and has caused the chromium accumulation in soils. Korean soils revealed a wide range of chromium contents depending on parent material and land use. The total chromium contents of volcanic ash soils in Jeju, which were determined using $HNO_3$ + $HClO_4$ + HF, ranged from 434 to 1,164 mg $kg^{-1}$. The 'ecological' total chromium contents extracted using conc. HCl + conc. $HNO_3$ (aqua regia) in the same soils varied in a lower range of 50-189 mg $kg^{-1}$ (averaged percentage of aqua regia contents in $HNO_3$ + $HClO_4$ + HF contents: 14.9%). Serpentine soils in Andong showed a 'ecological' total chromium content of 309 mg $kg^{-1}$ and against it granitic soils in Andong only 20 mg $kg^{-1}$. In uncontaminated forest soils of Korea, the 'ecological' total chromium contents varied from 4.89 to 106 mg $kg^{-1}$ and the soluble chromium contents determined using 0.1 M HCl ranged from 0.01 to 0.64 mg $kg^{-1}$ (averaged percentage of 0.1 M HCl contents in aqua regia contents: 0.4%). Arable lands contained more soluble chromium than reported in forest soils (averaged soluble chromium: 0.36 and 0.09 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively). In particular, the soluble chromium contents in greenhouse, orchard and upland soils were higher than in contaminated soils near mine and industrial site (maximum contents: greenhouse 15.3 mg $kg^{-1}$; upland 12.1 mg $kg^{-1}$; orchard 8.29 mg $kg^{-1}$; mine site 4.76 mg $kg^{-1}$; industrial site 2.80 mg $kg^{-1}$). On the basis of these results a accumulation of chromium in some specific arable lands can be assumed, probably by long-continued applications of fertilizers or soil amendments containing chromium. In Korean Enforcement Decree of the Soil Environment Conservation Act soil standards for total chromium do not exist yet.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.1 s.108
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2005

Knowledge of the relationship between crop yield and yield-limiting factors is essential for precision farming. However, developing this knowledge is not easy because these yield-limiting factors are interrelated and affect crop yield in different ways. In this study, data for grain yield and yield-limiting factors, including crop chlorophyll content, soil chemical properties, and topography were collected for a small (0.3 ha) rice paddy field in Korea and a large (36 ha) upland corn field in the USA, and relationships were investigated with path analysis. Using this approach, the effects of limiting factors on crop yield could be separated into direct effects and indirect effects acting through other factors. Path analysis provided more insight into these complex relationships than did simple correlation or multiple linear regression analysis. Results of correlation analysis for the rice paddy field showed that EC, Ca, and $SiO_2$ had significant (P<0.1) correlations with rice yield, while pH, Ca, Mg, Na, $SiO_2,\;and\;P_2O_5$ had significant correlations with the SPAD chlorophyll reading. Path analysis provided additional information about the importance and contribution paths of soil variables to rice yield and growth. Ca had the highest direct effect (0.52) and indirect effect via Mg (-0.37) on rice yield. The indirect effect of Mg through Ca (0.51) was higher than the direct effect (-0.38). Path analysis also enabled more appropriate selection of important factors limiting crop yield by considering cause-and-effect relationships among predictor and response variables. For example, although pH showed a positive correlation (r=0.35) with SPAD readings, the correlation was mainly due to the indirect positive effects acting through Mg and $SiO_2$, while pH not only showed negative direct effects, but also negatively impacted indirect effects of other variables on SPAD readings. For the large upland Missouri corn field, two topographic factors, elevation and slope, had significant (P<0.1) direct effects on yield and highly significant (P<0.01) correlations with other limiting factors. Based on the correlation analysis alone, P and K were determined to be nutrients that would increase corn yield for this field. With the help of path analysis, however, increases in Mg could also be expected to increase corn yield in this case. In general, path analysis results were consistent with published optimum ranges of nutrients for rice and com production. We conclude that path analysis can be a useful tool to investigate interrelationships between crop yield and yield limiting factors on a site-specific basis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.24-35
• /
• 2006

The vascular plants of the studied area was listed 384 taxa of 90 families, 234 genera, 331 species, 1 subspecies, 45 varieties and 7 forms. The flora of each reservoir, 285 taxa of 83 families, 190 genera, 247 species, 1 subspecies, 30 varieties, 7 forms in Osongjae, 117 taxa of 39 families, 87 genera, 100 species, 17 varieties in Ogongjae, 83 taxa of 30 families, 67 genera, 73 species, 8 varieties, 2 forms in Shinyongjae and 86 taxa of 33families, 70 genera, 75 species, 1 subspecies, 10 varieties in Eodujae. Based on the list of the rare plants by the Forest Research Institute, 3 taxa were recorded in the studied areas; Magnolia kobus (Preservation priority order : No. 187), Penthorum chinense (No. 144), Prunus yedoensis (No. 110) and based on the list of Korean endemic plants, 4 taxa were recorded; Populus tomentiglandulosa, Clematis trichotoma, Prunus yedoensis, Paulownia coreana. Specific plant species by floral region were total 15 taxa; Prunus yedoensis in class V, 2 taxa (Carex idzuroei, Magnolia kobus) in class IV, 2 taxa (Monochoria korsakowi, Poncirus trifoliata ) in class III, 10 taxa (Sagittaria aginashi, Salix glandulosa, Clematis brachyura, Nymphoides peltata, etc.) in class I. The naturalized plants in this site were 13 families, 29 genera, 43 species, 1 varieties, 44 taxa and naturalization rate was 11.5% and based on the list of an ecosystem disturbance plants, 3 taxa were recorded in the studied areas : Paspalum distichum, Solanum carolinense, Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior. The hydrophytes was listed 31 taxa of 15 families, 20 genera, 29 species, 2 varieties and Eleocharis mamillata var. cyclocarpa, Penthorum chinense, Soirodela polyrhiza were recorded in Osongjae, Sagittaria aginashi, Eleocharis kuroguwai, Scirpus juncoides, Scirpus triqueter, Monochoria korsakowi, Monochoria vaginalis var. plantaginea were recorded in Ogongjae. Besides, Scirpus fluviatilis, Trapa pseudoincisa were recorded in Shinyongjae and Scirpus triangulatus, Nymphoides peltata, Myriophyllum verticillatum were recorded in Eodujae. This site is located in the urban area and ecosystem-disturbing wild animal and plant has been imported here, therefore ecosystem has been disturbed more and more. The wetland here rapidly has changed into upland, so it needs conservation measures through long-term monitoring.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.112-117
• /
• 2008

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of application rate of anaerobically digested pig slurry on the growth of Chinese cabbage and the outflow characteristics of N and P from leaching and runoff in the upland. Anaerobically digested pig slurry(ADPS) was applied rates of 0, 6, 12, and $18L\;pot^{-1}$, and Chinese cabbages were grown for 50 days. Dry matter yield of Chinese cabbage increased significantly at the rates of 6 and $12L\;pot^{-1}$, but decreased at the rate of $18L\;pot^{-1}$ due probably to the high salinity. The EC(1:5) of the soil receiving $18L\;pot^{-1}$ of anaerobically digested pig slurry was $0.28dS\;m^{-1}$, which was significantly higher than those receiving 6 and $12L\;pot^{-1}$ of anaerobically digested pig slurry. For the leachate and runoff, N and P concentration increased with the application rate of ADPS. Therefore, considering the dual goal of optimum crop growth and minimal discharge of non-point pollution sources to water system, this study suggests that a testing of a site-specific proper application rate of liquid pig slurry including ADPS is prerequisite to achieving optimum agricultural productivity while minimizing water quality degradatio.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.185-194
• /
• 2008

There is increased soil erosion potential at highland agricultural crop fields because of its topographic characteristics and site-specific agricultural management practices performed at these areas. The agricultural upland fields are usually located at the sloping areas, resulting in higher soil loss, pesticides, and nutrients in case of torrential rainfall events or typhoon, such as 2002 Rusa and 2003 MaeMi. At the highland agricultural fields, the soil reconditioning have been performed every year to decrease damage by continuous cropping and pests. Also it has been done to increase crop productivity and soil fertility. The increased amounts of soil used for soil reconditioning are increasing over the years, causing significant impacts on water quality at the receiving water bodies. In this study, the field investigation was done to check soil reconditioning status for potato, carrot, and cabbage at the Doam-dam watershed. With these data obtained from the field investigation, the Soil and Water Assesment Tool (SWAT) model was used to simulate the soil loss reduction with environment-friendly and agronomically enough soil reconditioning. The average soil reconditioning depth for potato was 34.3 cm, 48.3 cm for carrot, and 31.2 cm for cabbage at the Doam-dam watershed. These data were used for SWAT model runs. Before the SWAT simulation, the SWAT ArcView GIS Patch, developed by the Kangwon National University, was applied because of proper simulation of soil erosion and sediment yield at the sloping watershed, such as the Doam-dam watershed. With this patch applied, the Coefficient of Determination ($R^2$) value was 0.85 and the Nash-Sutcliffe Model Efficiency (EI) was 0.75 for flow calibration. The $R^2$ value was 0.87 and the EI was 0.85 for flow validation. For sediment simulation, the $R^2$ value was 0.91 and the EI was 0.70, indicating the SWAT model predicts the soil erosion processes and sediment yield at the Doam-dam watershed. With the calibrated and validated SWAT for the Doam-dam watershed, the soil erosion reduction was investigated for potato, carrot, and cabbage. For potato, around 19.3 cm of soil were over applied to the agricultural field, causing 146% of more soil erosion rate, approximately 33.3 cm, causing 146% of more soil erosion for carrot, and approximately 16.2 cm, causing 44% of more soil erosion. The results obtained in this study showed that excessive soil reconditioning are performed at the highland agricultural fields, causing severe muddy water issues and water quality degradation at the Doam-water watershed. The results can be used to develop soil reconditioning standard policy for various crops at the highland agricultural fields, without causing problems agronomically and environmentally.